The herein taught invention generally relates to domestic fireplaces particularly of the wood burning type and a method of, and apparatus for sealing such fireplaces to prevent the loss of conditioned air (heated and/or cooled) from the living quarters through such fireplaces.
It is known that for a fireplace to function properly the fireplace must necessarily be designed to create a naturally inherent draft whereby air is drawn into the fire box, upward through the chimney and expelled into the atmosphere outside the premises. Such draft air is drawn from the room within which the fireplace is situated. Thus the natural draft of the typical domestic fireplace acts as an air pump continually withdrawing conditioned air from the room, and the premises as a whole, wherein the fireplace is located.
Although the typical domestic fireplace may be provided with a chimney damper, which generally acts to close-off the flue and/or chimney, the dampers, by reason of the large dimensional tolerances necessary to permit operation over a wide temperature range causes inherent and significant air leaks when the damper mechanism has cooled to room temperatures.
Thus because of the inherent structure of the typical domestic fireplace damper mechanisms an open path through the fireplace whereby conditioned room air may pass always exists. Therefore, because of the naturally occurring continuous draft created by the fireplace, conditioned room air is continuously withdrawn from the room. Because of the continuous withdraw of conditioned air (heated or cooled) from the premises unnecessary expense is expended to replace the withdrawn conditioned.
The herein disclosed invention provides a simple solution for preventing the naturally occurring loss of conditioned room air, as described above, and employs the fireplace's natural draft in the process.